Sewer excavating and filling machine.



No. 647,282. Y Patented Apr.l0, I900.

W. SHANNON.

SEWER EXGAVATING AND FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1898. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899.) (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet l.

nventor;

Yffngaded.

No. 647,282. Patented A'pf. I0, I900. W. SHANNON.

SEWER EXCAVATING AND FILLING MACHINE. V

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1898. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899.) (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

4: NORRIS Pzrzns (20.. PuOTa-Lrmo. wnsnmcn'ou, u.

No. 647,282. Patent ed A pr. I0, I900.

w. SHANNON.

SEWER EXGAVATING-AND FILLING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Apr. 11, 1898. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899.) (No Model.)4 4 SheetsSh eet 3.

' .132 Center, w M $19M m: NDRRYB straws c0. Puorbuyuo WASHINGTON n. c,

Patented Apr. I0, [900.

w. SHANNON. v *SEWEB' EXCAVATING AND FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed. Apr. 11, 1898. Renewed Sept. 18, 1899.\

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

THE NORRIS PEYERS 50 PHOTOLITHOH VO-SHVNGYOM Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

\VILLIAM SHANNON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- OF FORTY-NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JOHN MOMYLER AND EDMUND F. ATI-IERTON, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWER EXCAVATING AND FlLLiNG IVlACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,282, dated April10, 1906. Application filed April 11, 1898. Renewed September 18, 1899.Serial No. 730,952. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SHANNON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sewer Excavating andFilling Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

to My invention is of that class of sewer digging and filling machineswhere a scoop or bucket carried bya traveling carriage is adapted to digthe earth in front of a sewer to be built and transfer it to a car whichcarries it backward and dumps it over the sewer which has been built.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine having this capacitywhich may be of simple and cheap construction and shall be veryefficient in operation.

The invention consists of the means I en1- ploy for attaining theobjects specified, or a portion thereof, as hereinafter described, anddefinitely enumerated in the, claims. Prominent among these means arethe mechanism for directing the scoop to the proper point for digging,the means for closing the bucket and for scraping the dirt from it whenit is open, the means for operating the transfer-car, and

'30 the arrangement by which the transfer-car 5 combinations ofparts'which compose part of the invention will be pointed out as thedescription proceeds.

The drawings clearly disclose theinvention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the digging and elevating mechanism, thetransfer-car,

the trestle for the latter, and the track on which they travel. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the digging and elevating mechanism above itssupporting-wheels. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the trestle-towerportion of that mechanism, and Fig. 4- is a plan of the trestletower.Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the clamp for the bucket-rod. Fig.6 is a detail view of the upper portion of a modified form of suchclamp. Fig. 7 is a plan, partly sectional, of the parts shown in Fig. 1.Fig.

8 is a rear view of the lower portion of. the trestle-tower, showing therails of the tracks beneath the same. Fig. 9 is a vertical centralsection through the scoop or bucket, and Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.Figs. 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views illustrating the opening of thebucket at its elevated position and closing of it at the ground. Fig. 13is a side elevation of the car shown in Fig. 1, but on a larger scalethan that figure; and Fig.

14 is a vertical transverse section through the gripping-shoes of thecar, being taken on theline 14 1-1 of Fig. 13.

The same letters of reference designate the same parts in each of thefigures.

The machine as a whole consists of an excavating and elevatingmechanism, a transfer-car cooperatin g therewitl1,suitable tracks, andsuitable machinery of transmission for operating the car and themechanism. The frame for the excavating mechanism consists of a suitabletrestle-tower A, mounted on a platform a, which is supported by means ofwheels a on a track B. This track is laid along the course in which thesewer-trench is to be dug and is open between its rails, so that thedigging-bucket may descend between the rails. Fig. 1 shows at Z suchtrench, with the usual side-boarding and cross-bracing.

The digging-bucket or scoop C (to be hereinafter more specificallydescribed) is of the well-known clam-shell form and is secured by itsbail o to a long vertical bar D. Journaled in suitable bearings a at thetop of the trestle-tower is a frame E, having secured to its shaft thelever e, by which it may be oscillated. The intermediate portion of thisframe consists of two parallel and separated side plates 6 6. Betweenthese side plates, 0 atthe center thereof, is the vertical sleeve F,which has trunnions fextending through and bearing in the side plates e.A lever f, secured to an extension of one of these trunnions f,furnishes means for oscillating the sleeve. The vertical bar D standswithin this sleeve F, wherefore it follows that if the lever f is turnedon its pivot in one direction or the other the bar D, and hence thescoop, will be swung'backward or forward accordloo ingly, while if theframe E is oscillated by its lever e the bar D, and hence the scoop,will be swung sidewise. If both levers are turned at the same time, thescoop will move in a direction Wnich is the resultant of thelongitudinal and lateral tendencies given it.

Journaled at the side of the trestle-tower or in other sutable positionis a shaft G. On this shaft near the bearings are a pair of drums H Hwhich are loose upon the shaft, but may be connected with it byfrictionclutches h 7?. A cable J runs from the drum H to one end of thelever e, and another cable J from the drum H to the other end of thelever e. If the drum H, for example, is clamped to the shaft G and thedrum H loose thereon, rotation of the shaft winds up the cable J withthe result that the bar D and scoop is tipped to the right of Fig. 3. Ifthe other clutch is thrown into gear, the cable J is wound up, and thereverse movement of the scoop takes place. Between the drum H and H areother drums H H, to which run cables J 3 J 4 from the ends of the leverf over intermediate guiding-pulleys 7c, journaled in a suitable bracketK. A doublefaced friction clutch h is shown between these drums and mayclamp either to the shaft G. Thus the lever f, and hence the bar D andbucket C, may be swung either forward or backward. Thus by clamping theproper drums to the rotating shaft G for the desired length of time thebucket may be shifted to any point desired.

The lower part of the bar D consists of a pair of plates (1, which areseparated from each other, as shown, and have their lower ends connectedto the bail c of the scoop. The two shells of the scoop arequarter-cylinders, as shown. Secured to the upper edge of each and nearits middleis aquadrant-bar c or 0 This quadrant-bar is grooved on itsupper surface, as shown at 0 The quadrant-bars extend through the spacebetween the plates d andalittledistancebeyondthesame. Cables J 5 aresecured to the ends of the quad rant-bars and from thence pass backwardand upward through the space between the bars d d and lie againstsuitable guides in the form of sister pulleys d 01 which are journaledon a pin rigid with said bars. The cables then pass up to a tackle-blockL, which carries them. In the form shown in the drawings the cables J 5are in reality one cable, which hangs down on opposite sides of thepulley Z, carried by the tackle-block.

From the construction just described it results that if the block L isdrawn upward the bucket is forced shut, while if relative movementbetween the pulley-block and bar D is allowed the bucket may be opened,the cables J near their ends, lying in the grooves c as the bucketopens. The block L carries another pulley Z, which lies in a bight of acable J one end of which is secured at e to the frame E, and the otherend after passing over the pulley e journaled in that frame, passesaround a friction-drum m, which is loosely journaled on a shaft M. Ifthe bucket is open and the cable J is wound up, the block L will beelevated, and hence the bucket forced shut. After that a continuedwinding up of the cable J will elevate the bar D and the bucket.

In order to prevent the elevation of the bar D, I provide a suitableclamp. This clamp consists of a pair of spring-arms N, which aresupported by the trunnions of the sleeve F and lie on opposite sides ofthe bar, and a yoke n, which loosely surrounds these clamping membersand carries suitable means for forcing the members into contact with thebar D. These means, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, consist of a cam n,pivoted to the yoke and having a projecting armv 01 which is adapted tobe elevated by a depending pole of. In Fig. 6 instead of the cam n ascrew 11 is shown, which may be turned by an arm 11?, as before. Thus ifthe pole of is shoved up the bar D is clamped in place. The pole n isshown as illustrative of any convenient means of operating the arm.

From what has been said it will be apparent that if the bucket is openedand brought down to the level of the ground and the bar D clamped inplace and the cable J 6 wound up the bucket must scoop into the earthand dig up a load, which substantially fills it, as illustrated in Fig.12.

After the bucket is elevated it may be opened and dumped by a pull onthe cable J which runs from a drum 19 over a pulley e carried by theframe E, and down to a block Q, which has a pulley q, over which takes ashort cable J which has its ends secured to the under side of theclam-shell. Thus when the drum o is wound up the bucket is dumped. Fig.11 illustrates this position of the bucket.

The shafts M and P of the drums on and p are jou rnaled in suitablehearings on the platform a in front of the trestle-tower. At this pointthe platform is preferably floored over and carries a suitable boiler Rand engine S. This engine may of course be of any desired type, ispreferably reversible, and operates to rotate the shaft P. This shaft Pcarries a gear 19, which meshes with an idle gear 0, which latter mesheswith a gear m on the shaft M, whereby the latter shaft may be to tatedby the engine in the same direction as the shaft P. Suitablefriction-clutches p -cylindrical side of the scoop.

The drums 'm and p are thrown into gear and revolved for causing theclam-shell to dig into the ground, for elevating it, and dumping it.After ithas been dumped these drums are thrown out of gear, and thebucket and the bar D descend by their own weight, suitable brakes (notshown) being applied by the operator to keep the cables on the drumstaut. In order to prevent the material in the bucket from sticking toit, I provide a pair of scrapers c each of which is in the form of astirrup and is secured to the bail c of the bucket and lies along thetwo ends and the The scraper may be made of one single piece of fiatmetal bent into the shape shown.

In order to dispose of the dirt in the bucket and transfer it back overthe sewer already built or to a convenient point for removal entirely, Iprovide a suitable trestle T, which runs on wheels 25 on the track B andextends up on an incline from the level of that track and thenhorizontally back above the men in the ditch who are building the sewerand to a point back of the completed sewer, and I provide a car U,adapted to stand under the scoop when it is elevated and receive itscontents when dumped and then to travel back over the trestle T to thepoint where it is desired to deposit the earth and there dump it. Thiscar runs on tracks 25 on the top of the trestle and on tracks B on thelevel of the ground between the rails B. The trestle T is shown in thedrawings as close up to the excavating structure, such being one of itsextreme positions; but there may be a considerable space between them.

I operate the car U by a cable J which is continuously driven by asuitable sheave or drum m, loose on the shaft M, but clutched thereto bya suitable friction-clutch, as the inner face of a double clutch m Thecable passes from the sheave m rearward over the trestle T and around aloose pulley V. This pulley is secured to the end of a cable J whichwinds around a suitable Windlass W, which is located at the rear of thetrestle and has an operating-crank and a ratchet-pawl w for preventingits reverse movement. After the excavating structure has been properlyplaced the cable J which was slaekened to allow the forward movement ofthat structure, is wound up taut.

The cable J passes along the side of the car U between suitableguide-rollers ttthereon and between suitable grip-shoes. Two of theseshoes u and a are stationary, while the intermediate shoe "Ll/ ismovable in either direction by means of a lever M, which is pivoted tothe car and is operated by a suitable hand-lever u through theintervention of a link it. One ply of the cable liesbetween the shoe itand the shoe 1L3 and the other ply between the shoe U3 and the shoe n Asthese two plies are of course moving in opposite directions, it followsthat if the shoe a is moved to grip the ply of the cable between it andthe shoe n for instance, the car will move in one direction, whereas ifthe other ply of the cable is gripped by the shoes u and u the car willmove in the-opposite direction.

In the operation of the device the trestle 'l is stationed over thesewer being completed and the excavating structure is moved to thedesired location by the sprocket-chain m The cable J is then wound uptaut and the sprocket-wheel m is disengaged from its shaft and thesheave m thrown into engagement. The drums m and p are now disengagedfrom their shafts and allowed to unwind, being.

governed therein by the brake. The drum 1; is not allowed to unwindfaster than the drum n, and thus as the weight of the bucket and its barcause them to descend the bucket is kept open. As the bucket descends itis swung into the proper position by the rotation of the shaft G and thewinding up of the drums H,-H H or H as desired. When the bucket strikesthe ground, it is open and its pivot is substantially at theground-line. The operator thereupon shoves up the pole n thus clampingthe bar D. The drum m is then rotated, winding up the cable J 6 andcausing the scoop to dig into the ground a distance substantially equalto its radius. When the scoop has become closed with a load of earththerein, the drums on and p are rotated together until the bucket isnear the upper end of its stroke. The operator on the car U then gripsthe proper ply of the cable and runs his car beneath the bucket,whereupon a continued rotation of the drum 1) opens the bucket andallows the material to fall into the car. The car operator then gripsthe other ply of the cable J and the car is drawn up 011 top of thetrestle T and runs back to the desired point and is dumped while thebucket is excavating and raising another load. The car may dump into thesewer-ditch,over the completed sewer, or into a wagon driven under thecar near the rear of the trestle, as desired.

It is to be understood that while I have entitled my invention a sewerexcavating and filling machine many features of it are adapted for otheruses than in the construction of sewers, and I do not intend to limitmyself to any particular use of the combinations which constitute myinvention. I be lieve myself to be entitled to those combinations forall purposes and whether they are embodied in asewer-machine,asteam-shovel, a dredge, or other machine.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a digging-machine, incombination, a suitable support, a frame pivoted thereto on a horizontalpivot, a substantially-vertical sleeve carried by the frame and pivotedto it on a horizontal pivot which is substantially at right angles tothe pivot of the frame to its support, a bar slidable through saidsleeve,

a bucket carried at the lower end of said bar, and a clamp carried bysaid sleeve and adapted to oscillate with it and to hold the sliding baragainst longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

2. In a digging mechanism, in combination, a pivoted sleeve, a barslidable within the same, a bucket carried at the lower end of said bar,a lever secured to said sleeve, a cable leading from said lever, and adrum around which said cable is wound, substantially as described.

3. In a digging mechanism, an open frame having a pair of separated sideplates, a substantially-vertical sleeve between said side plates andhaving trunnions journaled in said side plates, a lever rigidly securedto one of said trunnions, in combination with a bar slidable within saidsleeve and a bucket carried by said bar, substantially as described.

4. In a digging mechanism, in combination, a suitable support, aframepivoted thereto on a horizontal pivot, a sleeve pivoted to the frame ona horizontal pivot at an angle to the pivot of the frame to the support,a bar slidable within said sleeve, a bucket carried at the lower end ofsaid bar, a lever secured to the frame, a lever secured to the sleeve,cables leading from said levers, and drums on which said cables areadapted to be wound, whereby the frame and the sleeve may be tipped,substantially as described.

5. In a digging mechanism, in combination, a suitable support, a framepivoted thereto, said frame being open intermediate of its pivots, asleeve in such open portion of the frame and pivoted to the frame andthereby adapted to oscillate therein, a bar slidable through saidsleeve, an oscillating clamp for the bar, and a bucket carried at thelower end of the bar, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a suitable support, a frame pivoted thereto, a barextending from said frame, a pulley carried by the frame, a movablepulley, a drum m, a cable J 6 passing from the drum over the pulley onthe frame under the movable pulley to a substantiallystationary point, aclam-shell bucket carried at the lower end of said bar, aconnectingcable between the movable pulley and such bucket whereby whenthe movable pulley is elevated the bucket is closed, and a clamp forholding said bar stationary, substantially as described.

7. In combination a horizontal pivoted frame open intermediate of itspivots, a substantially-vertical sleeve in the open portion of suchframe and pivoted thereto, a substantially-vertical bar passing throughsaid sleeve and slidable therein, a clam-shell bucket secured at thelower end of said bar, two pulleys carried by said frame in its openportion, two winding-drums and two cables, each cable leading from oneof the winding-drums over one of said pulleys, one of the cablesoperating to close and the other to open the clam-shell, substantiallyas described.

fromsaid movable block on opposite sides of the stationary pulleys, andhave each end secured to the bucket on the side opposite to that of thepulley over which it passes, means for clamping the bar in a stationaryposition, and means for elevating the movable block, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a digging mechanism, a bar, a clamshell bucket carried at thelower end thereof, guiding-pulleys carried by said bar, a movabletackle-block L having a pulley Z, a cable J a winding drum m, said cablepassing around the winding-drum and passing beneath said pulley Z in abight, cables J depending from said block L and passing on oppositesides of the stationary pulleys and having their ends secured to thebucket on the side which is opposite to that of the pulley with which itcontacts, substantially as described.

11. In a digging mechanism, in combination, a suitable support, a bardepending therefrom, a clam-shell bucket carried at the lower end of thebar, guiding-pulleys d 61 carried by said bar, quad rant-arms extendingupward and inward from the upper edges of said clam-shell, a movabletackle-block L having a pulley Z, cables J which depend from saidtackle-block on opposite sides of the guiding-pulleys d (1 each of saidcables having its end secured to the end of that quadrantarm, which,when the bucket is opened, is on the opposite side of the guiding-pulleyagainst which that cable passes, and an elevating-cable J 6 which passesdown in a bight beneath the pulley Z, substantially as described.

12. In a digging mechanism, a bar, a clamshell bucket at the lower endthereof, quadrant-arms extendinginward and upward from the sides of thebucket, said arms being arranged to move past each other when the bucketopens, grooves in the upper sides of said arms and cables or chainssecured to said arms near their free ends and passing in contact withsuitable guides held by said bar, whereby when said bucket is openedsaid cables or chains may lie in the groovesin said arms, substantiallyas described.

13. In a digging mechanism, a bar, a bail secured at the lower endthereof, a clam-shell bucket pivoted to the ends of said bail, a pair ofscrapers carried by said bail and lying along the ends and the sides ofthe two portions of the bucket,s ubstantially as described.

IIO

14. In a machine for excavating and refilling sewers, in combination, asuitable digging and elevating mechanism, a track for the same, atrestle separate from the digging and elevating mechanism and adapted tobe moved independently thereof along the track and itself carrying atrack, said trestle being inclined downward at its forward end and thetrack thereon extending down said incline, a car on the trestle adaptedto travel on the track thereon and down the incline and beneath thebucket of the elevating mechanism,

' and means for propelling the car along the trestle, substantially asdescribed.

15. The combination of a track, a trestle movable thereon, an elevatedtrack carried by said trestle and inclining at its forward endsubstantially to the plane of the track on which the trestle runs, anexcavating mechanism movable in front of said trestle, suitable meansfor operating the excavating mechanism, a cable extending along saidtrestle and driven at the excavating mechanism, and a car adapted to bepropelled along the trestle by said cable and adapted to descend downthe incline at the front thereof and pass un' der the bucket of theexcavating mechanism, substantially as described.

16. In a machine for digging and refilling sewers, in combination,mechanism adapted -to travel alonga track and elevate material frombeneath the track above it, a traveling trestle separate from andindependent of the elevating mechanism but adapted to travel along overthe same, a sheave carried by said trestle, a cable extending from thedigging mechanism over said sheave and back, means for varying theposition of the sheave with reference to the trestle but maintaining itat substantially the same distance from the digging mechanism wherebythe cable is maintained with operative tautness, a suitable connectionbetween the cable and motor of the digging mechanism whereby the lattermay operate the cable, and a car on the trestle adapted to be moved bythe cable, substantially as described.

17. In combination, two tracks, one within the other, a suitabletrestle-tower open at one end and supported on wheels on the outertrack, an elevated trestle having an inclined front and a trackextending along the trestle and extending down the inclined front andterminating in close proximity to the inner track mentioned, a carsupported on wheels which are adapted to travel on the trestle or on thesaid inner track, a dumping-bucket carried by said trestle-tower,mechanism for causing said bucket to descend and receive a load ofmaterial and for elevating the same and dum ping it, whereby said carmay pass down the,

incline and under the bucket when the same is elevated and receive theload therefrom and may then pass up the incline onto the trestlesubstantially as described. 18. In a mechanism for digging andrefillsuitable motor for operating said elevating mechanism, a cableadapted to be driven by said motor and extending along saidtrestle,means on said car for guiding said cable, a suitable gripping device onthe car adapted to be moved in one direction and grip one ply of thecable and be moved in the other direction and grip the other ply andthus cause the car to travel in either direction without changing thedirection of motion of the cable, sub stantially as described.

19. In combination, an excavating mechanism, a traveling car, a trackfor the same, a pulleyat the rear of said track, a cable leading fromthe excavating mechanism over said pulley and back to the excavatingmechanism, stationary grip-shoes a n on said car, a movable grip-shoe aon said car between the shoes u and if, one ply of said cable beingbetween the shoes it and n and the other ply between the shoes a andL63, a pivoted lever and a connection between it and the shoe u wherebythe shoe may be moved to grip either ply of the cable, substantially asdescribed.

20. In combination, a track, a digging and excavating mechanismsupported on said track and movable along the same, a movable trestleadapted to follow after said digging mechanism and stand at variousdistances therefrom, a Windlass at the rear of said trestle, a cablepassing over the same, a pulley V at the forward end of said cable andconnected thereto, a driving drum or sheave on the excavating mechanism,a cable J 9 passing around said sheave and said pulley V, and a caradapted to travel along said trestle and having means for gripping saidcable, substantially as described.

21. In a digging mechanism, in combination, a pivoted sleeve, a barslidable within the same, a bucket carried at the lower end of said bar,means for elevating the bar and bucket, an oscillatable clamp pivoted onan axis substantially coincident with that of the sleeve and adapted tolock the bar, substantially as described.

22. In combination, a suitably-guided bar D, two separate plates (1 dconstituting the lower portion of said bar, a bail secured to the saidplates near their lower ends, a bucket secured to said bail, a pair ofpulleys journaled between the bars (1 (Z, cables J 5 depending onopposite sides of the pulleys and engaging with the bucket to close thesame when the cables are drawn upward, substantially as described.

.23. In combination, abarD, suitable means for guiding the same, saidbar having its lower end formed of two separated plates 01 d,

a bail secured to said plates near their lower ends, a clam-shell bucketpivoted to said bail, quadrant-arms secured to the upper edges of saidbucket and extending upward and in- In testimony whereof I hereuntoaffix my ward through the space between the plates 61 signature in thepresence of two witnesses. (1, cables secured to said quadrant-arms neartheir free ends, and suitable guides for said cables whereby the cableswhen pulled may Vitnesses: operate to close the bucket, substantially asALBERT H. BATES, described. PHILIP E. KNOW'LTON.

WILLIAM SHANNON.

